Ramadan recipes

Top Bahrain chefs share their favourite iftar recipes

By
Time Out Bahrain staff
28 July 2011

Mohammed Samara

Sous chefBahraini executive sous chef Mohammed Samara has spent almost two-thirds of his life in the food industry. ‘I have always enjoyed cooking, whether it is preparing lunches or dinners or food in general throughout the holy month,’ he says. ‘I don’t mind being around or preparing food while I am fasting either, as part of the pleasure of Ramadan is being able to sit down, after sunset, with family and friends to enjoy iftar or ghabga.’

Being Bahraini, Mohammed’s favourite foods are the traditional Middle Eastern dishes. ‘I’m not too sure whether I could ever say that I prefer savoury dishes over sweet dishes, or the other way around, as being a chef I enjoy eating both, depending on my mood.’

During Ramadan Mohammed will spend a lot of his time at the InterContinetal Regency, as it is set to be very busy. ‘The Al Liwan tent here has always been a premier destination for iftars and ghabgas, and this year looks no different. I won’t have very much time off during Ramadan, but at home I will only cook when friends visit. I do have to remember that my wife is in charge of the kitchen, though.’ Two of his favourite recipes that he will be creating this month are seafood syadiea and stuffed baby marrow.

Method• Slice the onion and garlic, and then slightly fry them with corn oil until they start to brown. Add some water and the fish bones along with some cumin powder and dried lime. Bring to boil and wait 20 minutes.

• Strain the liquid and use the remains as fish stock. Use this as the basis to cook the rice while adding salt, pepper and cumin. Bring the rice to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.

• Marinate the seafood with lemon juice, salt, pepper, thinly chopped garlic. If you like, you can add some cumin and coriander powder.

• You can fry or grill the fish until cooked – you can grill the fish and serve under the rice.

• Mixed the mincemeat with the chopped onion, tomato, garlic, corn oil, salt, pepper and the rice (if you like, you can add chopped dill or fresh coriander).

• Stuff the marrow with the mixture, but be careful not to overfill.

• Grill the lamb chop while adding salt and pepper, and a little cinnamon powder.

• Place in a pot for cooking with tomato sauce for 30 minutes (also can be cooked with yoghurt sauce).

Khadija Baslar

Pastry chefSince 1986, Bahraini pastry chef Khadija Baslar has been serving up delicious desserts for the island’s residents from the InterContinental Regency. She is the only female pastry chef in the Gulf region. ‘I love being around food over Ramadan,’ she says. ‘It is the one time of the year when I can really use my creativity in the kitchen to devise new desserts.’ With dates being Khadija’s favourite ingredient, she uses them as a starting point to come up with new ideas.

In her role as head pastry chef at the InterContinental Regency and with sweet dishes on her mind, we expect some creative and mouth-watering ideas to appear this month. ‘Throughout Ramadan I always focus on preparing lighter sweets such as mousses and other creamy desserts. I have some really great new ideas, which I know will be a big hit,’ she tells us. This month Khadija will be offering very addictive treats – starting with mini cinnamon almonds with date puree and a cinnamon, walnut and date upside-down cake. Just be sure to hit the hotel gym afterwards.